plane to take him back to america. his arm is gone by then. and he's told we don't have room for another litter, another patient on the airplane. you can't go. so, of course, is disappointed. the plane crashed and killed everybody on the plane. so dan inouye was a person who considered himself lucky. those of us who knew senator inouye consider ourselves lucky just being able to know the man. after hawaii received its statehood in 1959, dan inouye served as the state's first congressman. three years later, he was elected to the senate and he's been a soft but powerful voice for the people of hawaii ever since. the many personal courtesies he's extended me i will never forget. may not seem like much but i had something where i was scheduled to be in florida, and i had promoted this, the great -- i was a new senator, the great senator inouye was going to be there. and i got a call from henne juni, used to be the sergeant at arms, for a long time senator inouye's chief of staff. he said i've checked his schedule, it's his